Percy the Merman
by Irishchic1234
Summary: It had to be done :)
1. Chapter 1

I realize that this idea is actually very, very stupid but it's fun so why not? :) Percy Jackson has become...THE LITTLE MERMAID! Er... merman? So, obviously there will be elements of both stories here, but I'm going to give a character run down so you don't get too confused.  
Percy: Ariel  
Annabeth: Eric  
Grover: Grimsby  
Tyson: Flounder  
Chiron: Sebastian  
Poseidon: King Triton

The sun shone brightly down on the ship sailing leisurely across the sea. Sailors worked tirelessly, heaving ropes on the deck. They sang as they worked, in deep baritones,

"I'll tell you a tale of the bottomless blue

And it's hey to the starboard, heave ho

Look out, lad, a mermaid be waitin' for you

In mysterious fathoms below."

One blonde haired woman rushed back and forth, a wide grin on her face. She leaned over the side of the ship and looked down at the shimmering water. She took a deep breath and then said,

"Isn't this great? The salty sea air, the wind blowing in your face . . . a perfect day to be at sea!"

A man with curly hair leaned up from over the side of the ship, his face green.

" Oh yes . . . delightful . . . ."

"Cheer up Grover!" the woman said with a laugh.

A sailor looked over and grinned, gold teeth glinting behind his gums.

" A fine strong wind and a following sea. Poseidon must be in a friendly-type mood."

"Poseidon?" the young woman said, raising an eye brow.

"Why, god of the sea and ruler of the mer-people, lass. Thought every good sailor knew about him."

" Merpeople! Annabeth, pay no attention to this nautical nonsense!" Grover interrupted, holding a handkerchief to his mouth.

Another sailor looked up from piling fish board and said,

"But it ain't nonsense, it's the truth! I'm tellin' you, down in the depths o' the ocean they live!"

He gestured wildly as he said this and the fish slipped from his grasp. It hit Grover full in the face and then fell back towards the ocean. Annabeth watched it go with a smile. She was happy that it got away, got to return where it belonged.

"Heave. ho. Heave, ho. In mysterious fathoms below" she sang to herself, looked at the dark depths.

Sorry it's so short, the next chapters will be longer and better, I promise!


	2. Chapter 2

...You people seriously like Percy Jackson as a mermaid, don't you? :D Due to popular demand, I am updating, but first you guys get some review shout-outs! Yay!

Chloe the hybrid: It's true, only I could come up with something this weird :)  
Beautiful Breeze: You're awesomer! (Is that a word?) And I'm glad I made you happy  
Read-Write-Love1812: I am updating! :)  
Guest: Percy won't be singing, don't worry. That would be strange, and I'm not gonna go there. He might just say a couple of lyrics, almost like an after thought, you know?  
Guest: Cool! Twin brothers rock! And you seem nice, and I like nice people, so we'd probably be friends

Chiron the hippocampus was swimming back and forth anxiously. Where was the prince, for god's sake? This was his fighting debut in front of the entire kingdom; it would help if he showed up! Chiron plastered a smile on his face as Poseidon swam over, triton in hand.

"Good afternoon, Chiron." the god of the sea said genially.

"I hope all is well?"

"Oh yes, Your Highness. Perfectly fine."

"I'm very looking forward to this exhibition, Chiron."

"It shall be the finest of my career!"

"Yes, and Percy will bring a new aspect into it, won't he?"

Chiron sighed to himself over the doting father. He always had a soft spot for his youngest son, because he was so similar to the god's dead wife. Chiron knew Percy had many admirable qualities, but he got on his nerves most of the time.

"Oh yes!" Chiron said hurriedly,

"He is a most skilled fighter."

Poseidon nodded with satisfaction and swam away. The hippocampus muttered to himself as he did so,

"If only he bothered to show up to sword practice once in awhile."

The tournament had started. The six other princes lined up on one side of the arena and introduced themselves. Percy would make his grand entrance later.

"Patrick"

"Peter."

"Paul."

"Phillip."

"Piers."

"Paton."

They all grabbed their swords and held them out in an honor guard for their little brother,

"But now we introduce to you the youngest member of our family." they said in unison.

But no merman was coming. Chiron sighed and put his head in his hands. He hadn't remembered, as Chiron knew he would. Poseidon stood up, anger filling his eyes,

"PERCY!"

"Tyson, hurry up!"

"Percy, you know I can't swim that fast!"

Percy was swimming towards a sunken ship with his fishy best friend, Tyson. They were searching for human treasure! Tyson caught up and Percy said,

"There it is. Isn't it fantastic?"

"Yeah . . . sure . . . it - it's great. Now let's get outta here."

"You're not getting cold fins now, are you?"

"Who, me? No way. It's just, it, err . . . it looks - damp in there. Yeah. And I think I may be coming down with something. Yeah, I've got this cough."

"All right. I'm going inside. You can just stay here and - watch for sharks."

The merman swam carefully through the porthole, leaving the other fish outside. Tyson looked around and then said,

"Okay. Yeah - you go. I'll stay and - what? Sharks! Percy! Percy. . . I can't . . . I mean - Percy, help!"

Tyson got stuck in the porthole and Percy swam back towards him, a wide grin on his face,

"Oh, Tyson." he said with a laugh, pulling him free.

"Percy, do you really think there might be sharks around here?" Tyson whispered as they swam.

"Tyson, don't be such a guppy."

"I'm not a guppy. This is great - I mean, I really love this. Excitement, adventure, danger lurking around every corn- YAAAAHHHHHHHH! Percy!"

Tyson saw a skeleton and crashed into the skull. This caused the middle of the ship to cave in and Tyson swam frantically toward Percy.

"You okay, dude?" the merman asked.

"Yeah sure, no problem, I'm okay."

Percy spotted something glimmering in the corner of the ship and swam toward it, scooping it up,

"Oh my gods! Have you ever seen something so epically awesome in your whole life?" he asked Tyson, admiring the newfound treasure. It was a hand-sized instrument, made of a silvery kind of metal.

"Wow, cool! But, err, what is it? Tyson asked, looking closer.

" I don't know. But I bet Blackjack will!" Percy said excitedly, shoving the treasure into his satchel.

A shadow passed over the ship and Tyson looked up. He heard a rumbling noise and then whispered anxiously,

"What was that? Did you hear something?"

But Percy was distracted by another human object. This one was small, and in the shape of a question mark,

"Hmm, I wonder what this one is?" he said to himself, bringing it closer to his eyes to inspect it further.

"Percy-"

"Tyson, would you relax? Nothing is going to happen."

Tyson looked around and saw a gigantic shark behind him, grinning evilly,

" AAHHHH! Run! Run! We're gonna die!" he screamed as they surged forward, away from the animal. They bolted out of the ship and watched as the shark got caught in the crow's nest, so tightly captured it couldn't chase them. Percy and Tyson made eye contact and the merman laughed,

"Tyson, you really are a guppy."

"Am not!"


	3. Chapter 3

"Blackjack!" Percy called.

A seagull popped up from behing a rock, holding a telescope in one feathered wing.

"Whoa! Merman off the port bow! Percy, how you doin' boss? Whoa, what a swim!"

Percy reached into his satchel and withdrew the two human treasures they'd found in the ship.

"Blackjack, look what we found." he said excitedly.

" Yeah - we were in this sunken ship - it was really creepy." Tyson jumped in.

"Human stuff, huh? Hey, lemme see." Blackjack said, picking up the first item.

"Look at this. Wow - this is special - this is very, very unusual."

"What? What is it?" Percy asked eagerly.

"It's a dinglehopper! Humans use these little babies . . . to straighten their hair out. See - just a little twirl here an' a yank there and - voiolay! You got an aesthetically pleasing configuration of hair that humans go nuts over!"

"A dinglehopper!"

"What about that one?" Tyson asked. '

"Ah - this I haven't seen in years. This is wonderful! A banded, bulbous - snarfblat."

"Oohhh!"

"Now, the snarfblat dates back to prehistorical times, when humans used to sit around, and stare at each other all day. Got very boring." Blackjack explained,

"So they invented the snarfblat to fight each other with."

"Fight each other!" Percy cried, alarm etched all over his face.

"The exhibit! Oh my gods, my father is gonna kill me!"

"The exhibit was today?" Tyson asked, aghast.

Percy snatched the treasures back from Blackjack and shoved them into his bag, already hurrying away.

"Uh, I'm sorry, I've gotta go. Thank you Blackjack."

"Anytime boss, anytime."

Back in the palace, Percy was brought into the throne room and was being severly admonished by his father and Chiron.

"I just don't know what we're going to do with you, young man." Poseidon said.

"Dad, I'm sorry, I just forgot, I -" Percy started, but was cut would bear the brunt of the reprimand.

"As a result of your careless behaviour -" Chiron cut in.

"Careless and reckless behaviour!"

"the entire celebration was, er -"

"Well, it was ruined! That's all. Completely destroyed! This tournament was to be the pinnacle of my distinguished career. Now thanks to you I am the laughing stock of the entire kingdom!"

Tyson saw Percy starting to get upset, so he jumped in with,

"But it wasn't his fault! Ah - well - first, ahh, this shark chased us - yeah - yeah! And we tried to - but we couldn't - and - grrrrrrrrr - and - and we - whoooaaaaaa - oh, and then we were safe. But then this seagull came, and it was this is this, and that is that, and -

Tyson really had meant to help, but he really should have kept his mouth shut. It would have ended better.

"Seagull? What? Oh - you went up to the surface again, didn't you? DIDN'T YOU?" Poseidon yelled angrily, his godly aura flaring.

Percy shot a look at his best friend and then muttered,

"Nothing - happened. . . ."

"Percy, How many times must we go through this? You could've been seen by one of those barbarians - by - by one of those humans!" his father said.

"Dad, they're not barbarians!"

" They're dangerous. Do you think I want to see my youngest child snared by some fish-eater's hook?"

"I'm sixteen years old - I'm not a child anymore -" Percy shot back, annoyed.

" Don't you take that tone of voice with me young man. As long as you live under my ocean, you'll obey my rules!

"But if you would just listen -"

"Not another word - and I am never, NEVER to hear of you going to the surface again. Is that clear?"

Percy whirled around and rushed away, hot blood flooding his cheeks. It wasn't fair!

Poseidon looked troubled. He ran a hand through his beard and said to Chiron.

" Do you, er, think I - I was too hard on him?"

"Definitely not. Why, if Percy was my son, I'd show him who was boss. None of this "flitting to the surface" and other such nonsense. No, sir - I'd keep him under tight control."

"You're absolutely right, Chiron."

"Of course."

"Percy needs constant supervision."

" Constant."

"Someone to watch over him-to keep him out of trouble."

"All the time -"

"And YOU are just the hippocampus to do it."

As he swam, Chiron muttered to himself,

"How do I get myself into these situations? I should be training great war heroes - not tagging along after some headstrong teenager!"

He saw Percy and Tyson roll a huge stone away from a cave and crawl in.

"Hmm?" Chiron said softly, observing them.

"What's that boy up to?"

He followed them into the cave and then stared around. From floor to ceiling there was human things. Gadget and gizmos aplenty, who-zits and what-zits galore! They were everywhere.

"Huh?"

Chiron hid behind a huge painting and watched as Tyson tried to comfort his friend,

"Percy, are you okay?"

" If only I could make him understand. I just don't see things the way he does. I don't see how a world that makes such wonderful things - could be bad." Percy said sadly, playing with a figurine and making it spin around.

"People with feet have no idea how lucky they are. Why can't I be apart of it? Why can't I be part of that world?" he asked, looking up from the water and at the sun shining above.

Chiron slipped out from his hiding spot and crashed into a lot of things, getting necklaces and jewelry splayed all over him. Percy jumped up, a guilty look on his face.

"Percy-what, are you mad? How could you - what is all this?" he sputtering, pulling a ring off his ear.

" It, err, it's just my - collection. " he said, trying to explain.

"Oh. I see. Your collection. Hmmm. IF YOUR FATHER KNEW ABOUT THIS PLACE HE'D -"

"You're not gonna tell him, are you?" Tyson said with alarm.

" Please, Chiron, he would never understand." Percy pleaded.

Chiron sighed and ushered the two friends out of the cave.

"Percy. You're under a lot of pressure down here. Come with me, I'll take you home and get you something ambrosia and nectar to drink-"

The hippocampus paused as a shadow passed over them. Percy glanced up and saw the outline of a ship right above his head.

"What do you suppose?" he said wonderingly, starting to swam towards the water's surface.

You guys know what happens next, don't you? :D


	4. Chapter 4

I love you people. You rock just for bothering to read this crazy, impossible fanfiction . I love all my readers and reviewers, so to make you feel my love, more shout-outs!

Chloe the hybrid: I can always count on you to review, can't I? :) Luv you!

Guest: Imagining Percy as a merman is weird for me too, don't worry :) And in answer to your question, I'm incorporating aspects of both stories. However, I'm using the Little Mermaid script, so it will probably resemble that more.

ObsessedWithPercyJackson: Thank you! Love your username, by the way

Guest: Thanks! And I'm updating now!

WithTheTwinBro: I found the script online and have been changing stuff as I go along :P And aww, did I really inspire you? That's epically awesome! That's why I write in the first place, to inspire other people :D

Guest: Updating! Thanks for encouraging me!

Guest: I do not doubt that you are an awesome person. Most PJO fans are :)

"Percy, what - what are you- jumpin' jellyfish! Percy, Percy, please come back! " Chiron called desperately as he swam off towards the ship. He sighed and paddled after him. The best thing to do in situations like these was follow the boy and hope he didn't get into too much mischief.

Percy reached the ship and hauled himself up on the side so he could watch the party above him. On board, a young woman was dancing around, her arms high in the air. A dog bounded over to her and jumped on her. It got the front of her clothing all muddy, but she didn't seem to mind.

"Zoe, here girl. Hey, come on, mutt, whatcha doing, huh Zoe? Good girl." she crooned, rubbing the dog's head. She licked her face and the girl laughed. Percy watched the whole scene, his eyes wide. He was smitten.

"Hey there, boss! Quite a show, eh?" Blackjack called, flying over him.

"Blackjack, be quiet! They'll hear you." Percy said.

"Oooh, I gotcha, I gotcha. We're being intrepidatious. WE'RE OUT TO DISCOVER!"

Percy clamped his beak shut and turned back.

" I've never seen a human this close before. Oh - she's very beautiful, isn't she?"

Blackjack looked at the dog aboard and replied doubtfully,

" I dunno, she looks kinda hairy and slobbery to me."

"Not that one - the one playing the snarfblat."

Aboard the ship, Grover clanked a glass and then cleared his throat, saying,

" Silence! Silence! It is now my honour and privilege to present our esteemed Princess Annabeth with a very special, very expensive, very large birthday present."

The girl, Annabeth, whirled around and beamed a big smile, throwing her arms around Grover.

" Ah, Grover - y'old beanpole, you shouldn't have!" she said with delight.

"I know. Happy birthday, Annabeth!"

The man reached up and pulled a sheet from over the present, revealing a large statue. It was certainly big enough, but hadn't really captured the girl's sunny expression or relaxed demeanor.

" Gee, Grover-It's, err, it's, err - it's really somethin'. . . ." Annabeth started, rubbing the back of her neck.

"Yes, I commissioned it myself. Of course, I had hoped it would be a wedding present, but . . ."

Annabeth sighed and then replied, saying,

"Come on, Grover, don't start. Look, you're not still sore because I didn't fall for the prince of Glauerhaven, are you?"

"Oh, Annabeth, it isn't me alone. The entire kingdom wants to see you happily settled down with the right boy. " he said gently.

Annabeth crossed the deck and looked out at the water. Percy was close enough to touch her. He stared up at the gorgeous human above him, the moonlight turning her blonde hair silver. His heart beat painfully in his chest.

" Well, he's out there somewhere. I just - I just haven't found him yet." Annabeth said softly.

At this Percy grinned with satisfaction.

" Well, perhaps you haven't been looking hard enough." Grover.

Here his face fell.

"Believe me, Grover, when I find him I'll know - without a doubt. It'll just - bam! - hit me - like lightning"Annabeth said firmly, a small smile on her face.

Lightning flashed in the distance and thunder boomed loudly. Percy gulped. His father and Zeus must be fighting or something.

"Hurricane a'commin'! Stand fast! Secure the riggin'!" A sailor bellowed, grabed a rope to the sail and tugging it.

All too soon, the brunt of the storm was on the ship. Sailors rushed around, trying to secure what they could.

""Whoa! The wind's all of a sudden on the move here." Blackjack called, trying to cling to a rope. He was blown away after about five seconds.

"Percy!"

"Look out!" Annabeth shrieked, pointing.

In the confusion, nobody was steering the boat. It barreled into a rock and everyone was thrown off, falling into the sea. The humans were paddling limply, gasping for air. Annabeth swam over and hauled Grover onto a stray board.

"Grover, hang on!" she said.

They heard a distant barking and then saw the dog, Zoe still aboard.

"Zoe!" Annabeth shrieked, scrambling back on the quickly sinking ship. The dog was trapped on the higher deck, surrounded by flames.

"Jump Zoe! Come on girl, jump! You can do it Zoe!"

"ANNABETH!" Grover yelled,

The ship exploded and the princess went hurtling through the air, clawing to hold onto anything that could slow her fall.

The girl was slowly sinking through the water, her body limp. Percy sprinted over to her and took her in his arms, towing her through the water, towards the shore. They reached the beach as the sun was coming up. Percy was sitting next to the girl, desperate for her to wake up.

"Is she- dead?" Percy said anxiously.

Blackjack picked up the girl's foot and held it to his ear,

"It's hard to say. Oh, I - I can't make out a heartbeat."

"No, look! She's breathing. She's so beautiful." Percy breathed,

The merman put his hand underneath Annabeth's head and tilted it up to observe her closer.

"What would I give to live where you are?" he said to the unconscious girl,

"What would I pay to stay here beside you? What would I do to see you smiling at me?"

The princess' gray eyes fluttered open and she stared hazily up at Percy. He beamed and and touched her cheek.

"Why can't I be part of your world?" he asked longingly.

The girl shook her head, still in a daze. Tyson and Chiron washed up on the beach, gesturing frantically for Percy to hide. He dove into the water and swam away just as Grover appeared on the beach, running towards Annabeth.

"Annabeth! Oh, Annabeth, you really delight in these sadistic strains on my blood pressure, don't you?"

"A boy - rescued me. . . He was talking..."

"Ah, Annabeth, I think you've swallowed a bit too much seawater. Off we go! Come on Zoe!"

Off in the distance, Percy watched the pair walk away from a rock in the ocean. Chiron was swimming back and forth around him,full of nerves.

"We just gotta forget this whole thing ever happened. The sea king will never know. You won't tell him, I won't tell him. I will stay in one piece!"

Percy ignored him and turned back to look at the shoreline. He sighed as Annabeth limped away. Determination shone in his eyes and he said to himself,

"I'm going to be part of her world."

THE PERCABETH FEELS ARE BACK, PEOPLE. Excuse me as I go sob in the corner because my OTP... Well, you guys know what happened D:


	5. Chapter 5

Shout-out to Guest15! :D

I know that I really should use "swam" for when the characters move, but I felt I was using it too much, so used "sprinted" to try and switch it up :) And OTP means "One true pairing." It's basically the couple you will love until the end of time. Percabeth will forever be my OTP.

"Percy, time to come out. You've been in there all morning." Piers called to his brother from the dressing room.

Percy came out, still nervously fixing his hair. He was trying his hardest to look his best, that was obvious, but no one knew for whom.

" What is with him lately?" Peter asked, sharpening his spear.

"Morning, guys." Percy said cheerily, waving goodbye as he swam away.

""Oh, he's got it bad." Paton said with a wide grin.

Poseidon was going by as they said this and paused to ask.

"What? What has he got?"

"Isn't it obvious, Dad? Percy's in love." Paul said.

"Percy? In love?" Poseidon said wonderingly.

Chiron just knew he was going to lose his mind by keeping this secret.

"Okay, so far, so good. I don't think the king knows. But it will not be easy keeping something like this a secret for long."

"Do you think she loves me, Chiron?" Percy asked, sitting down on a rock.

"Percy, stop talking crazy."

"I gotta see her again - tonight! Blackjack knows where she lives!" Percy said eagerly, getting up and starting to swim around.

"Percy-please. Will you get your head out of the clouds and back in the water where it belongs?" Chiron said hopelessly.

"I'll swim up to her castle. Then Tyson will splash around to get her attention, and then with -" Percy continued, already making plans.

" Down HERE is your home! Percy - listen to me. The human world - it's a mess. Life under the sea is better than anything they got up there!"

He proceeded to go off on a tangent about how it was better underwater and that fish on land were either in a bowl or eaten. He even got some surrounding fish to help try and convince the merman. So wrapped up was the hippocampus, he didn't notice Tyson arrive and Percy sneak off with him.

"And that's why it's better under the sea-" Chiron finished, looking around for the merman.

"Percy? Percy? Oh . . . somebody's got to nail that boy's fins to the floor." he said, hanging his head.

Suddenly, a seahorse darted past him.

" Chiron! Chiron, I've been looking all over for you." he panted out.

"I've got an urgent message from the sea king."

"The sea king?"

"He wants to see you right away - something about Percy."

"He knows!" Chiron said in horror.

Back in the palace Poseidon was sitting in his throne, holding a flower in his hand.

" Let's see, now. . . . Oh, who could the lucky mermaid be?" he said to himself.

He noticed the hippocampus waiting nervously in the corner and said,

"Come in, Chiron."

As he moved towards the god of the sea, Chiron was hastily instructing himself

"I mustn't overreact. I must remain calm. Yes -yes, Your Majesty?"

"Now, Chiron, I'm concerned about Percy. Have you noticed he's been acting peculiar lately?" the god asked.

"Peculiar?" Chiron gulped.

"You know, moaning about, daydreaming. You haven't noticed, hmm?"

" Oh - well, I -" he sputtered.

"Chiron..."

"Hmmm?"

"I know you've been keeping something from me. . . ."

" Keeping . . . something?"

" About Percy?"

"Percy?"

"In love?" Poseidon encouraged.

The hippocampus lost it then. Throwing his fins up in the air, he spilled everything.

"I tried to stop him, sir. He wouldn't listen. I told him to stay away from humans - they are bad, they are trouble, they -"

"Humans? WHAT ABOUT HUMANS?" Poseidon roared.

"Humans? Ho ho ho ho. . . . Who said anything about humans?"

Percy and Tyson were swimming towards the treasure trove, the fish assuring the merman he had a surprise

"Tyson, why can't you just tell me what this is all about?"Percy said.

""You'll see. It's a surprise." his friends said with glee.

Together, they rolled the stone away from the entrance and swum in. Looking around, Percy spotted the statue of Annabeth in the corner. He whirled around it, grinning ecstatically.

""Oh, Tyson- Tyson you're the best! it looks just like her! It even has her eyes." he said, staring at the statue of the human.

So wrapped up where they, the two friends didn't notice Poseidon come into the cave, followed by a reluctant Chiron. Percy turned around, still smiling, and came face to face with his father.

"Dad!" he cried, shock written over all his face.

""I consider myself a reasonable merman. I set certain rules, and I expect those rules to be obeyed."" Poseidon said, his eyes flashing.

" But Dad!-" Percy started trying to explain.

" Is it true you rescued a human from drowning?" the god of the sea demanded.

"Dad, I had to-"

"Contact between the human world and the mer-world is strictly forbidden. Percy, you know that! Everyone knows that!" he cried.

"She would have died-"

"One less human to worry about!"

"You don't even know her." Percy spat out.

"Know her? I don't have to know her. They're all the same. Spineless, savage, harpooning, fish-eaters, incapable of any feeling-"

"Dad, I love her!" Percy yelled in defiance.

"No-" Poseidon said in shock.

" Have you lost your senses completely? She's a human, you're a merman!"

" I don't care."

Poseidon straightened, his trident glowing in his hand,

"So help me Percy,, I am going to get through to you. And if this is the only way, so be it."

He began blasting Percy's collection to pieces. All of the treasures were disappearing in a flashes of bright light. The merman swam around, trying desperately to cover things. Poseidon and Percy spotted the statue at the same time.

"Dad!. . . No . . . No, please- Dad, stop!. . . Dad.. No!" Percy said as it was hit with a bolt of light and then shattered.

The trove was bare of anything. Years and years of collecting had been destroyed in a matter of seconds. Percy stared around him in horror. All of his human things were gone for good. Poseidon glanced at him with a look of regret on his face and then swam out, head bowed in shame.


	6. Chapter 6

Percy sat in his cavern in total silence, mourning the loss of his collection.

"It's not fair." he muttered to himself, swiping his eyes.

"It really isn't fair!"

Suddenly, two eels came up to Percy, swirling around him.

"Poor child." one crooned

" Poor, sweet child." the other said.

"He has a very serious problem"

"If only there were something we could do."

"But there is something."

"Who - who are you?" he asked, voice wavering.

" Don't be scared. We're Flotsam and Jetsam." the first one, supposedly called Jetsam said.

"We represent someone who can help you."

"Someone who could make all your dreams come true."

"Just imagine -" the eels said in unison.

"You and your princess -Together, forever. . . .

"I don't understand." Percy said, bewildered.

"Thoosa has great powers."

Thoosa was one powerful sea nymph who'd gone bad. She used to be an esteemed member of Poseidon's court, but then basically went insane and tried to kill the Sea God, in an attempt to get control of all the ocean. He'd banished her to the farthest corner of the ocean, where she could never leave. All of this had happened long before Percy was born, and the sea nymph hadn't been heard of since.

"The sea witch? Why, that's - I couldn't possibly - no! Get out of here! Leave me alone!" Percy said, aghast. He'd grown up hearing tales of her cruelty.

" Suit yourself." Flotsam said

"It was only a suggestion." Jetsam continued as they began to swim away.

As they went, Jetsam flicked the statue's broken face towards Percy.

"Wait!"

Outside, Chiron and Tyson were still waiting for Percy to re emerge/

"Poor Percy." Tyson said, sniffing miserably.

"I didn't mean to tell, it was an accident." Chiron defended himself.

As they spoke, Percy and the eels came out from the trove.

"Percy - where are you going? Percy, what are you doing here with this riff-raff?" Chiron said worriedly, scrambling to catch up with him.

" I'm going to see " Percy said, eyes focused straight ahead.

"Percy, no! No, she's a demon, she's a monster!" the hippocampus gasped, clinging to the merman's tail to slow him down.

"Why don't you go tell my father? You're good at that." Percy spat out, shaking him off.

Percy kept going forward, and his friends had no choice but to follow him.

Ages later, they reached Thoosa's lair. The ells moved forward and parted the seaweed concealing the doorway

"This way." they said simultaneously.

Percy crept forward nervously, staying close to the exit. He saw a shadow ripple and then a voice said,

" Come in. Come in, my child. We mustn't lurk in doorways - it's rude. One MIGHT question your upbringing."

Thoosa moved slowly towards Percy, and it was all her could do not to cringe. Imagine the ugliest thing you can, multiply that by a million, and then add octopus legs. You get the basic idea of what the formerly beautiful nymph looked like.

"Now, then. " Thoosa said cheerily.

You're here because you have a thing for this human. This, er, princess. Not that I blame you - she's gorgeous. Well, angel fish, the solution to your problem is simple. The only way to get what you want - is to become a human yourself.""

"Can you DO that?" Percy said doubtfully.

" My dear, sweet child. That's what I do - it's what I live for. To help unfortunate merfolk - like yourself. Poor souls with no one else to turn to."

"Now, here's the deal. I will make you a potion that will turn you into a human for three days. Got that? Three days. Now listen, this is important. Before the sun sets on the third day, you've got to get dear ol' princess to fall in love with you. That is, she's got to kiss you. Not just any kiss - the kiss of true love. If she does kiss you before the sun sets on the third day, you'll remain human, permanently, but - if she doesn't, you turn back into a merman, and - you belong to me."

Chiron had heard enough. He surged out of his hiding place, saying

"No Percy!"

But Flotsam and Jetsam quickly silenced him, wrapping their tails around him.

" Have we got a deal? Thoosa said beguilingly.

" If I become human, I'll never be with my father or brothers again." Percy said sadly.

" That's right. . . . But - you'll have your girl. Life's full of tough choices, innit? Oh - and there is one more thing. We haven't discussed the subject of payment. You can't get something for nothing, you know."

"But I don't have any -"

"I'm not asking much. Just a token, really, a trifle. You'll never even miss it. What I want from you is . . . your voice."

" My voice?" Percy said, surprised.

" You've got it, sweetcakes. No more talking, singing, zip."the nymph said, popping the P.

" But without my voice, how can I -" Percy started.

" You'll have your looks! Your handsome face! And don't underestimate the importance of body language! Girls up on the surface don't like boys that chatter anyway. They prefer to be listened to."

Percy nodded resolutely, signing the contract with a flourish and Thoosa beamed. Reaching into her cabinet, she withdrew vial after vial.

"Start talking."

So Percy talked. He chattered on and on while the sea witch muttered incantations. He practically saw his voice being transferred to Thoosa's waiting hands, where she locked it into a sea shell.

All of a sudden, Percy felt a burning sensation in his chest. He needed to get the surface and breathe right now. Tyson and Chiron took him under the arms and dragged him upward, towards the human world.


	7. Chapter 7

Princess Annabeth was sitting on the beach with her dog, playing a flute. She was thinking, as she had been constantly, about the boy who'd saved her from the shipwreck. Who was it? A local boy from the village? A sailor maybe? She wanted to know so badly.

"That voice. I can't get it out of my head. I've looked everywhere, Zoe - where could he be?"

The dog only licked her hand comfortingly. Annabeth sighed and patted her head. She'd never find him.

Out on sea, Percy was gasping for air, his lungs burning. It felt he'd never get he'd calmed down enough to sit up, he saw Blackjack flying towards him. The seagull settled down on the rock beside Percy and said,

" Well, look at what the catfish dragged in! Look at ya! Look at ya! There's something different. Don't tell me - I got it. It's your hairdo, right? You've been using the dinglehopper, right? No? No huh, well let me see. I gotta admit I can't put my foot on it right now, but if I just stand here long enough I know that I'll -"

Chiron had heard enough. The hippocampus moved forward and cried,

" HE'S GOT LEGS, YOU IDIOT! He traded his voice to the sea witch and got legs. Jeez, man . . ."

"I knew that." Blackjack defended himself.

Tyson jumped in, feeling the need to fully explain the situation,

"Percy's been turned into a human. He's gotta make the princess fall in love with him, and she's gotta ki- she's gotta kiss him."

Chiron was entering full panic mode. He started frantically swimming back and forth, trying to come up with a solution. Meanwhile, Percy tried to stand up on shaky legs, and then toppled back into the water.

"And he's only got three days. Just look at him. On legs. On human legs! My nerves are shot. This is a catastrophe! What would his father say? I'll tell you what his father'd say, he'd say he's gonna kill himself a crab, that's what his father'd say! I'm gonna march meself straight home right now and tell him just like I shoulda done de minute-"

Here Percy grabbed him, shaking his head pleadingly.

"And don't you shake your head at me, young man. Maybe there's still time. If we could get that witch to give you back your voice, you could go home with all the normal fish, and just be . . . just be ."

Percy stared at him imploringly , green eyes round and sad. And Chiron knew he couldn't.

" just be miserable for the rest of your life. All right, all right. I'll try to help you find that prince. Boy. What a soft-shell I'm turning out to be." Chiron finished with a sigh.

Blackjack, being the authority on humans that he is, decided to help him out.

"Now, Percy, I'm tellin' ya, if you wanna be a human the first thing you gotta do is dress like one. Now lemme see." he said, searching around for clothing material.

Back on the beach, Zoe smelled Percy from off in the distance and bounded off, barking loudly.

" Zoe? Huh . . . what, Zoe!" Annabeth exclaimed, getting up and chasing after her.

Percy walked slowly on the sand, still unsteady on his newly acquired limbs. Blackjack had somehow constructed robe type thing for him to wear. As he walked, he saw a dog running toward him. Feeling nervous, he scrambled up on a rock, out of it's reach.

"Zoe . . . Zoe- Quiet Zoe! What's gotten into you girly?" the princess said, running up to the dog and holding her back. She spotted Percy for the first time and her eyes widened slightly. There was something about him she recognized.

"Oh . . . Oh, I see. Are you O.K., mr? I'm sorry if this doofus scared you. She's harmless, really - . . . you . . . seem very familiar . . . to me. " she said slowly.

Percy nodded excitedly, nearly falling of his perch on the rock with enthusiasm. Annabeth clutched his hands.

"Have we met? We have met? I knew it! You're the one - the one I've been looking for! What's your name?"

Percy tried to speak his name, but no words came out. Oh right. He had no voice.

"What's wrong? "Annabeth asked worriedly. Percy patted his throat and shook his head.

"What is it? You can't speak? Oh. Then you couldn't be who I thought." Annabeth said with disappointment.

But Annabeth had been raised with better manners than to leave someone out in the cold. This poor man must have been through something awful, to be in this state. She decided to bring him back to the palace and help him get back on his feet.

"You must have really been through something. Don't worry, I'll help you. Come on . . . Come on, you'll be okay." Annabeth said, putting an arm under Percy's shoulders and walking down the beach with him.

Back at the palace Percy was taken away by maids to freshen up before dinner. Annabeth, meanwhile, went to the dining hall to sit with Grover. She brought up the boy who saved her again. But Grover shot her down instantly.

"Oh, Annabeth be reasonable. " he said.

Nice young men just don't - swim around rescuing people in the middle of the ocean and then - flutter off into oblivion, like some -"

"I'm tellin' you, Grover, he was REAL! I'm gonna find that boy - and I'm gonna marry him."

'Come on honey. Don't be shy. " a maid's voice said.

Percy entered the dining hall, looked nervous. He wore black dress pants and an emerald green shirt that brought out his eyes. And even though she knew it was crazy, Annabeth couldn't deny how handsome he looked.

" Oh, Annabeth, isn't he charming?" Grover said.

"You look - wonderful." Annabeth said, eyes wide.

" Come come come, you must be famished. Let me help you. . There we go - ah - quite comfy? " Grover said.

Percy nodded and looked around. Spotting a fork, he brightened. He knew what this was! It was a dinglehopper! Grabbing it, he started combing his hair with it. Both Annabeth and Grover stared at him, confusion etched across their faces. Blushing with embarrassment, he quickly put it down. Grover began filling his pipe with tobacco and Percy grinned. It was another thing he recognized; a snarfblat.

"Uh, do you like it? Grover said, handing it to him.

It is rather - fine ."

Percy brought the pipe to his lips and blew, causing ash to go all over Grover's face. Annabeth burst out laughing, trying desperately to smother the giggles with her hand.

"Oh, my!"

"Ahem, so sorry Grover." Annabet said, still chuckling

"Why, Annabeth that's the first time I've seen you smile in weeks." the maid said.

Grover huffed and wiped his face with a handkerchief.

"Oh, very amusing. Carlotta, my dear, what's for dinner?"

Later in the meal, Grover brought up what they were going to do tomorrow.

"You know, Annabeth, perhaps our young guest might enjoy seeing some of the sights of the kingdom. Something in the way of a tour?

Annabeth was too busy staring at Percy, so she jumped when her name was said.

"I'm sorry, Grover what was that?" she said hurriedly.

"You can't spend all your time moping about, you need to get out. Do something, have a life. Get your mind off -"

"Easy, Grover, Easy. It's not a bad idea. If he's interested. Well - what do you say?" she asked, turning to Percy

" Would you like to join me on a tour of my kingdom tomorrow?"

Percy nodded vigorously, trying to conceal an ecstatic grin.

Back in the undersea palace. Posedion was losing his mind with worry. Where had Percy gone? Was he in trouble? Hurt? Maybe even- No he refused to think that. He couldn't lose Percy, not after his wife. A sea horse rushed towards him and he asked desperately.

"Any sign of them?"

"No, Your Majesty. We've searched everywhere. We've found no trace of your son - or Chiron."

"Well, keep looking. Leave no shell unturned, no coral unexplored. Let no one in this kingdom sleep until she's safe at home."

"Yes sire." the sea horse said, dipping his head and zooming awy.

Poseidon went and sat in this throne, running a hand through his beard anxiously.

" Oh, what have I done? What have I done?"


End file.
